The Philadelphia Eagles are hoping to win the NFC East in Week 17 and have made changes in their backfield. According to Adam Schefter, Philadelphia has released Jay Ajayi and will get Jordan Howard back for Week 17.
Howard has been recovering from a shoulder ailment since Week 9 and has missed Philadelphia's last six games. Nearly a month ago, the Eagles decided to bring Ajayi back to provide some depth at running back.
In his short stay with the Eagles in 2019, Ajayi only carried the ball 10 times for 30 yards. As a matter of fact, Philadelphia chose to deploy a backfield of Miles Sanders and Boston Scott instead of giving Ajayi a meaningful role.
Nevertheless, Ajayi will always be remembered for his contributions to the Eagles' 2017 team that won the Super Bowl. At the same time, fans in Philadelphia are ready for Howard to rejoin the offense in Week 17.
Before his shoulder injury, Howard was having a decent season in his first year with the Eagles. Through the first nine weeks, Howard had combined for 525 yards on 119 attempts and six touchdowns.
With all of the injuries on offense, there's no doubt that Philadelphia could use Howard back on the field. Currently, the Eagles' best wide receivers are Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, and Greg Ward.
While Howard isn't much of a receiving threat, the rushing attack will get a much-needed boost this Sunday. His return comes at the perfect time as the Eagles can clinch the NFC East title with a win over the Redskins or a loss from the Dallas Cowboys.